As contract talks between the province and the Ontario Medical Association sour, the doctors take their fight to Kitchener-Waterloo

Ontario’s doctors are taking their war against the Liberal government to the battleground of the forthcoming Kitchener—Waterloo byelection.

The Ontario Medical Association has unleashed a new round of $1 million attack ads aimed directly at Premier Dalton McGuinty for imposing $338 million worth of fee cuts on physicians and for what they call unfair contract negotiations.

The OMA, which bargains on behalf of 25,000 doctors, says it will insert itself in the upcoming byelection. The seat was vacated after long-time Progressive Conservative MPP Elizabeth Witmer resigned last month to become chair of the Workplace Safety Insurance Board.

The byelection gives the Liberals a shot at a majority government. The Grits hold 52 seats — excluding Speaker Dave Levac, a Liberal MPP — versus a combined 53 for the Progressive Conservatives and New Democrats. No date has been set for the Kitchener—Waterloo vote.

OMA president Dr. Douglas Weir is kicking off the doctors’ information campaign by addressing the Kitchener-Waterloo Chamber of Commerce on Thursday. The physicians say at this point they will not endorse a candidate.

The OMA also plans to saturate the local market with newspaper and TV ads warning of what they call a looming provincial $1 billion cut to health care and longer wait times for services.

They argue that imposing fee cuts on doctors is a “heavy-handed approach” that violates the Charter of Rights and Freedoms and the right of doctors to bargain collectively. The doctors are expected to file a court challenge against the province soon.

However, the province is deferring some OHIP fee cuts and plans to set up an expert panel to study physician concerns, but the OMA is not participating.

Weir is expected to tell the chamber that voters in Kitchener-Waterloo should know the Ministry of Health wants to chop $1 billion from health services.

“It’s not the OMA’s job to tell people how to vote. But we certainly won’t shy away from informing voters about the current status of health care in the community and what lies ahead,” Weir said.

The association has also urged its members to spread the word about what they call unfair fee cuts being imposed on them by the Ministry of Health.

Contract negotiations between the province and the doctors have been at a standstill for weeks. The situation was made worse by Health Minister Deb Matthews’ decision to impose nearly $338 million worth of OHIP fee cuts on the doctors.

The OMA argues the move will drive doctors out of the province as they seek greener pastures, and patients will pay the price with longer wait times. A recent Nanos Research poll of Ontario’s doctors show 41 per cent are considering moving out of the province and 33 per cent would retire early if the cuts occur.

In Kitchener-Waterloo, the doctors argue the fee changes will mean the 20,000 patients in the area who still don’t have a family doctor will either wait longer to find one or won’t be able to.

The new television ads, which will air until the end of July, are the first to outright to attack the premier. The ad features a dripping IV and an unflattering clip of the premier waving his hands.

“Dalton McGuinty is cutting OHIP by nearly $1 billion. It’ll make it harder for me to find a doctor for my kids. It’ll mean fewer tests and procedures for my parents,” said the female voice in the ad. “Some cuts are just irresponsible. It is time for Dalton McGuinty to work with doctors and put patients first.”

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